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United States Patent | 5,092,253 |
Grund ,   et al. | March 3, 1992 |
A freestanding modular furniture arrangement is provided to create workstations in open office plans, and other similar applications. Each furniture unit includes a worksurface with capped cutouts in the rear corners to mount overhead cabinets, privacy screens, and other furniture accessories. A mounting rail extends continuously along the rearward edge of each worksurface, and is capable of removably supporting therein a plurality of different amenities, such as bookshelves, CRT stands, fans, task lamps, etc., so as to permit a worker to personalize his or her own workstation. A removable stanchion permits certain convertible amenities to be supported either freestanding on the worksurface, or along the rear of the worksurface on the mounting rail. An L-shaped intermediate leg is available to support the worksurface in a cantilevered fashion to facilitate unfettered task chair movement along the forward edge of the worksurface.
Inventors: | Grund; Gary H. (Kent City, MI); DeDamos; Craig S. (Rockford, MI); Deimen; Michael L. (Grand Rapids, MI); Duncan; Terence M. (Kalamazoo, MI); Feutz; David A. (Grand Rapids, MI); Humphrey; Charles G. (Freeport, MI); Kent; Royal A. (Grand Rapids, MI); Klipa; Edmund X. (Grand Rapids, MI); Maas; Thomas R. (Grand Rapids, MI); Mullen; Jon R. (West Olive, MI); Nelsen; Randall P. (Alto, MI); Parker; Linda M. (Alto, MI); Paulsen; James G. (Grand Rapids, MI); Pearson; Alan L. (Ionia, MI); Slager; Mark T. (Kentwood, MI); Varellas-Olree; Carolyn M. (Caledonia, MI); Wilcox; Gale F. (Alto, MI); Wurth; Michael E. (Grand Rapids, MI) |
Assignee: | Steelcase Inc. (Grand Rapids, MI) |
Appl. No.: | 307775 |
Filed: | February 7, 1989 |
Current U.S. Class: | 108/101; 312/196 |
Intern'l Class: | A47B 096/18 |
Field of Search: | 108/143,50,101 312/208,196,223 248/231.9 211/175 |
3770334 | Nov., 1973 | Weber | 312/196. |
4145097 | Mar., 1979 | Naess et al. | 312/196. |
4272136 | Jun., 1981 | Sengua | 312/196. |
4561619 | Dec., 1985 | Robillard et al. | 108/143. |
4612863 | Sep., 1986 | Von Hausen et al. | 108/50. |
4637666 | Jan., 1987 | Worrell et al. | 108/143. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
156313 | Dec., 1920 | GB | 312/196. |